New Int'l. Release

Moliere

 (France)

By LISA NESSELSON

The title character (Romain Duris), right, is summoned to teach a rich man (Fabrice Lucchini) to act in French pic 'Moliere.'

A Wild Bunch Distribution release of a Fidelite presentation of a Fidelite Films, France 2 Cinema, France 3 Cinema production, in association with Wild Bunch, with the participation of Canal Plus. (International sales: Wild Bunch, Paris.) Produced by Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier. Executive producer, Christine de Jekel. Directed by Laurent Tirard. Screenplay, Tirard, Gregoire Vigneron.
 
With: Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante, Edouard Baer, Ludivine Sagnier, Fanny Valette, Melanie Dos Santos, Gonzague Montuel, Gilian Petrovsky, Sophie-Charlotte Husson, Arie Elmaleh, Eric Berger.
 

Romance, creativity, subterfuge and repartee are among the pleasures to be had in "Moliere," a consistently diverting, bittersweet costumer about what might have transpired during an early gap in the playwright's known whereabouts. Speculative pic on how Gaul's answer to Shakespeare found inspiration in an involuntary gig giving a nobleman acting lessons is sumptuous, touching and often laugh-out-loud funny. Former film journo Laurent Tirard (2004's "The Story of My Life") avoids the sophomore slump with this smart and assured confection. Specialized offshore distribs should sharpen their quills to ink contracts apace.

Opening credits, in which embroidered fabrics undulate in slow motion to a jauntily majestic score, set the tone. It's 1658, and playwright/actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Romain Duris) -- aka Moliere -- returns to Paris with his theater troupe after 13 years honing their craft on tour in the sticks. Farces have made their reputation, and the king has given them a theater in the capital. But Moliere wants to switch to more serious fare: He believes only tragedy is true theater.

However, soon after being summoned to the deathbed of an unseen woman, Moliere announces to his players that rehearsals for their next production -- a comedy, after all -- will begin the next day.

Action then switches to 13 years earlier. Young Moliere is declaiming for the great unwashed when two process-servers join him onstage to demand he pay his debts. Through prancing and mimicry, Moliere exploits the serious duo with pre-Chaplinesque shtick prior to his imprisonment.

He's bailed out by a sort of talent scout who takes him to meet ridiculously wealthy Jourdain (Fabrice Luchini, perfectly cast), who has covered the younger man's debts. In exchange, he expects Moliere to coach him. Jourdain's goal is to credibly perform a self-penned one-act play destined to impress the enticing Celimene (Ludivine Sagnier), a widowed marquise with whom he is deeply, improbably smitten.

Jourdain is married to Italian beauty Elmire (Laura Morante), by whom he has two daughters. Henriette (Fanny Valette), secretly in love with a commoner, is the older.

Moliere poses as a priest -- Monsieur Tartuffe -- to deflect suspicion while he's in residence honing Jourdain's nonexistent acting skills. And Jourdain gullibly believes the canny, well-connected Dorante (Edouard Baer) is paving the way for Celimene to acknowledge her secret admirer's affections.

Witty, suspenseful script shows that clothing and plumbing have evolved over the past 400 years, but foibles and longing are consistent factors in human affairs. Script makes fine use of formal language as a seductive tool, with humiliation and elation ebbing and flowing on the turn of a phrase.

As Moliere, Duris goes through his complicated paces with resourceful ease, while Luchini is ideal as the lovestruck Jourdain and Baer is enormous fun as self-serving villain Dorante. But it's Morante who, through her deft work here and her exemplary turns in "Private Fears in Public Places" and "Avenue Montaigne," proves she's one of the most spot-on performers in French fare today.

Moliere buffs will delight in locating bits and pieces of his plays in this imaginary venture. But no prior knowledge of the man or his writing is required to enjoy the yarn, which was inspired by the fact that the cash-strapped playwright vanished for a spell when he was 22.

Production design is splendid, widescreen lensing fine.

Camera (color, widescreen), Gilles Henry; editor, Valerie Deseine; music, Frederic Talgorn; production designer, Francoise Dupertuis; costume designer, Pierre-Jean Larroque; sound (Dolby SRD/DTS), Eric Devulder, Thomas Gauder; hair, Jean-Pierre Berroyer; assistant director, Alan Corno; casting, Stephane Foenkinos. Reviewed at Planet Hollywood screening room, Paris, Jan. 4, 2007. Running time: 120 MIN.